Bundesliga - Gundogan won't play this season, major doubt for World Cup

Borussia Dortmund's Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan will not recover from a long-term back injury in time to play again this season, coach Juergen Klopp said on Thursday, all but ruling him out of the World Cup.

The creative midfielder has not played since August last year after a back injury flared up again but had hoped to play some games towards the end of the Bundesliga campaign to have a chance of travelling with the national team to Brazil.

"This season is too soon for him," Klopp told reporters. "The situation has not changed. He's still recovering."

Germany coach Joachim Loew had said he would only choose players who were fully fit to cope with the different climate in South America, the earlier kick-off times and the long distances between matches at the finals.

Germany have been drawn with Portugal, Ghana and the United States in the group stage of the tournament starting in June.